Asymmetries Caused by Nonparaxiality and Spin–Orbit Interaction during Light Propagation in a Graded-Index Medium

Abstract

Spin–orbit coupling and nonparaxiality effects during the propagation of vortex vector light beams in a cylindrical graded-index waveguide are investigated by solving the full three-component field Maxwell’s equations. Symmetry-breaking effects for left- and right-handed circularly polarized vortex light beams propagating in a rotationally symmetric graded-index optical fiber are considered. The mode-group delay in a graded-index fiber due to spin–orbit interaction is demonstrated. A scheme for observing the temporal spin Hall effect is proposed. It is shown that the relative delay times between vortex pulses of opposite circular polarizations of the order of 10 ps/km can be observed in graded-index fibers for high-order topological charges.

Keywords

• nonparaxial focusing
• rotationally symmetric graded-index fiber
• spin–orbit interaction
• orbital and spin Hall effects
• pulse delay time
• temporal spin Hall effect